With the Christmas holidays, a number of Czech and Slovak fairy tales will appear on TV screens. The program will also include family activities the film RumplCimprCampr, which was shot in 1997 by Zdeněk Zelenka. The one for revealed how he managed to get the Slovak actor and comedian Július Satinský († 61) in the role of King Valentine.
“I don’t remember everything in detail anymore, but I’ll never forget one thing. When we offered Jul the role of the king, he read the script, smiled and said: ‘I’ll take it!'” described Zelenka and asked him if he liked the script that much. “Like it, don’t like it… But I have a bed scene with Mrs. Bohdal. And that’s worth it to me,” declared Satinsky.
Zelenka didn’t remember any of the bed scenes from his script, but then it hit him. “That scene was just them waking up next to each other and having a dialogue,” he was laughing. Many years later, he admits that he considers meeting and working with Satinský one of the most pleasant. “He played that king beautifully. We couldn’t have found a better one at the time,” he finished.
Július Satinský was born on August 20, 1941 in Bratislava. In 1966, he studied dramaturgy at the University of Performing Arts (VŠMU) in Bratislava. Together with Milan Lasic, he created an intellectual comedy duo. Since 1959, they have performed in their own original programs. As university students, they performed their author’s dialogues during the so-called Youth afternoons in the Tatra Revue cabaret.
From 1964 to 1967, Satinský worked as a dramaturg at Czechoslovak Television. At the end of the 1960s, he performed together with Lasic in the Bratislava Theater Studio covering several ensembles, while the performance Soirée immediately won the audience. In 1970, for criticizing the conditions of occupation, they were banned from performing in Slovakia and the theater was closed. The artists were hosted by the Večerní Brno cabaret theater.
After returning to Slovakia, Július Satinský performed at the New Stage, first from 1972 to 1978 in singing, then until 1989 in drama. In his acting creations, he used hyperbole, contrasts and nonsense with which he punctuated his stage statement. Among his best-known roles on the New Stage were the characters of Dobčínský (Reviewer), Flicot (Hussars), Gejza Galib (Plne vrecka paeni), Holofernes (Márna lásky snaha), Lockit, Zabrák (Gay’s Zabrácka opera), Bandit II (Kocúrkovo II) or Tikhon Papričev (Duel).
In 1982, the poetic and cabaret theater Studio S was established on the premises of the Tatra revue, which changed to Studio L+S in April 1999. In it, Lasica and Satinský began to act as a couple in the popular program Nobody is Behind the Door. They were accompanied on the piano by Jaro Filip, who also collaborated with them on the cabaret TV project Who’s Behind the Door. Among the well-known plays presented in the space are Deň radosti, a selection from older dialogues Jubilee, Our friend René.
Before the Gentle Revolution, Július Satinský began rehearsing the character of Stalin in Gaston Salvatore’s play of the same name in Studio S. According to theater experts, he managed to portray the Soviet dictator very authentically in the production that premiered in 1990.
He also often acted in television productions and films. Well-known films are Celebration in the Botanical Garden, Endless – not performing, I enjoy the world with you, Hearty greetings from the globe, Village has a center, Let’s run, it’s coming! or Orbis Pictus. The last film in which he starred was the film directed by Juraj Nvota Kruté radosti.
In June 2003, he was awarded an in memoriam prize for his acting performance at the Art Film International Film Festival (MFF) in Trenčianske Teplice. In addition to acting, Július Satinský was also engaged in writing. Among his famous books are Tales of Uja Klobás, Boys from Dunajská Street or Čučoriedkareň. Later, the books of Július Satinský’s memories were published, entitled “I’m dead now, call me later” and “Palemodrý svet” by Július Satinský, signed by Milan Lasica and Jan Kolář.
Thanks to the editorial work of the popular comedian’s daughter, Lucia Molnár Satinská, Gundžovníky was published in 2018, capturing the correspondence between Satinský and his family, part of which emigrated. One of the founders of modern, intelligent Slovak humor, actor, comedian, playwright and writer Július Satinský died in Bratislava on December 29, 2002 at the age of 61.
